For Under 25's in England, Demand for Addiction Treatment Rises by 12%

Young English men and women are using a lot more cocaine, ecstasy and alcohol but less heroin and crack cocaine – in all, treatment admissions rose by 12% over the past 2 years.

A record 50 000 English young adults (under 25) received substance
abuse treatment during 2007 and 2008, which is a 12% increase over the previous
2 year period. The percentage needing treatment assistance for marijuana and
cocaine rose by 44%, but demand for crack cocaine and heroin treatment was
reduced.

The National Treatment Agency (NTA) provided the statistical
information and a spokesperson from the NTA suggested that although the numbers
of young adults in treatment had increased, rising treatment participation likely
reflected a better availability of treatment services, rather than a true
increase in need.

Professor Howard Parker, of Manchester University,
studies English substance use and abuse and says that over the past number of
years, young English men and women have started drinking "double"
what they used to and that the cocaine usage rates have risen consecutively for
8 or 9 years. According to Parker, most young people coming in for treatment
abuse a "cocktail" of drugs, mixing alcohol, marijuana, ecstasy and
other party drugs.

Parker describes the current challenges of treatment services
workers in England
by saying, "Alcohol is cheaper and more available, cannabis is far
stronger, cocaine is half the price it used to be and you can get half a dozen
ecstasy tablets for £10."

Although most treatment seeking young English men and women now
require services for alcohol and party drugs, treatment providers in England complain
that too many addiction services organizations remain overly targeted on the
treatment of heroin and crack cocaine, and suggest that some changes in focus
are needed.